What The Water Gave Me
by anyadoll
Summary: When the apartment above Riley's apartment floods, she's forced to stay with Gabriel in the interim. This couldn't possibly be a good idea...


**A/N: **I know I still have Pressure Points to work on but I needed a break from it, and this just kinda came out of nowhere and was begging to be written after I watched _Someone Like You_ with Ashley Judd and Hugh Jackman (not a half bad movie, I recommend it). It's long, and probably should have been a multi chapter but I didn't want to be working on two of those. I'm not gonna lie, I've had a rough go of it this past week. Sorry for the lack of updates, I'm working on it, promise, but I've got a lot on my plate right now so hopefully it all clears up quickly and the stress burns off and I can focus again. I'm still crossing my fingers for a renewal of this show. I love it to pieces and I could use some good in my life right now. Title from the song by Florence and the Machine, lyrics are 'Look After You,' by The Fray.

**What The Water Gave Me**

_It's always have and never hold_

_You've begun to feel like home_

_What's mine is yours to leave or take_

_What's mind is yours to make your own…_

XOX

"Sure you don't wanna stay for a beer?" Gabriel offered as Riley finished checking his apartment for tampering. She shook her head tiredly, her bag from their recent mission weighing heavily on her aching shoulder.

"Seriously, it's been four days since I got to take a real shower. I've literally dreamed about hot water and soap since we got on the plane. I'll take a rain check though," Riley replied, feeling drained just speaking. Gabriel nodded his agreement, unconsciously placing his hand on the small of her back and leading her to his door.

"Seeya tomorrow then?"

"Bright and early for check in, as usual. I'm just glad Lillian's giving us a few days off," she added, crossing his threshold. He leaned against the doorjamb, hands in his pockets.

"Any grand plans for our free weekend?" Gabriel smirked. Riley raised her eyebrow.

"Well I was gonna hop on a plane, fly to New York, and catch a broadway show but I figured that would be pushing it," she said flatly. Gabriel laughed. "Nothing special, figured I'd just clean my apartment. Catch up on my DVR."

Gabriel rolled his eyes. "An eighty year old trapped in the body of a thirty year old woman. You've got to live a little. Besides, your apartment is cleaner than most operating rooms, Riley."

Riley huffed. "And what are _your_ grand plans Gabriel?"

He opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

"Pot calling the Kettle black, isn't it?" She sang smugly.

Gabriel sighed. "Yeah, yeah, I'll see you tomorrow," he smiled. "Enjoy your hot water."

"I will," she answered with a wink, waving goodbye.

XOX

Riley breathed a heavy sigh of relief as she entered her apartment, dropping her keys in the small dish on her counter. She didn't mind being away, she didn't mind the missions, and she didn't mind being around Gabriel constantly, but a girl needed her space once in a while.

She tossed her bag on the couch, shrugging out of her jacket. She winced a little when the motion strained her injured side. Their culprit had had the good sense to blind side them, and Riley took the brunt of the man's furious blows much to Gabriel's chagrin.

A hot shower was sounding better by the minute.

She toed off her shoes, pulling her shirt over her head as she moved to her bedroom.

Riley gasped, stopping short.

"You've got to be kidding me!" she cried, holding her shirt to her bare chest as her eyes scanned the room.

The ceiling was heavily bowed, weighed down by water from the apartment above hers. Water that dripped in a steady pattern, drenching her floor, bed, and just about everything in sight. She blinked, praying she was hallucinating.

Riley whipped out her cell phone, dialing the landlord's number quickly. Of course there was no answer, it was midnight. She massaged her forehead, leaving a brief, if angry, message before realizing she only had one option. One she really didn't want to use.

She was pressing her speed dial before the thought and its implications even fully formed.

"Forget how to turn on a shower after a week away?" Gabriel cajoled when he picked up the call.

"No, but clearly my upstairs neighbors forgot how to turn theirs_ off_," she bit out, clearly annoyed.

"What happened?" he asked, tone quickly becoming concerned.

"My ceiling's about a gallon of water away from collapsing," she said wearily, hearing a resounding creek from above.

There was a brief pause before Gabriel launched into his own protector mode. "It's after midnight already. We'll deal with it tomorrow, just pack some stuff and come over. I can make up the guest bedroom, and last I checked my shower worked," Gabriel said, trying his best to make her feel better. "And be careful. Maybe…stay out of your bedroom if you think the ceiling is going to come down on you. I kind of like the protector I have."

Riley laughed lightly, feeling a bit better knowing she had a place to stay. Hell, she hadn't even needed to ask, but that was Gabriel's nature. He'd never leave her stranded. "I'll be careful. Be over soon," she answered before ending the call.

She surveyed the waterlogged bedroom, pulling her shirt back over her head and easing her way to her closet as her bare feet sunk into soggy carpet. She felt a little bit of relief when she hesitantly grasped her clothes. They were still dry.

Riley pulled everything out of the closet by the armload, laying the mountain of pricey suits, jeans, tees, and the few cocktail gowns she'd acquired throughout her career on the floor of her living room. They'd be safe there, away from the incurring damage.

She pulled out a suitcase, layering casual clothes, shoes, toiletries, her gun, and her laptop inside before zipping it shut. Something told her she'd be at Gabriel's place awhile, even if she hoped she wouldn't have to be.

At least this way, she wouldn't have to worry about his well-being. She'd be a few feet away.

Riley looked over her apartment once more, satisfied that she had what she needed, and left.

XOX

Despite having a key, Riley always knocked. It was only polite, and she'd promised him she'd only ever use the key for emergencies. Boundaries were a necessary evil in her line of work.

He opened the door, a sorrowful smile on his face as he took her suitcase from her without a second thought. She was too tired to protest the chivalrous act.

"I'll take that beer now," she said by way of greeting. Gabriel handed her his, watching as she threw back nearly half the bottle. He couldn't blame her.

"Guest room is made up. I put out extra towels in the bathroom, figured you'd want to take that shower you wanted so badly," he said, leading her to the extra bedroom, even though she knew full well where it was located.

"Thank you, for letting me stay. And I would love to take a shower," she said on a sigh.

"I'm just finishing up a few things and I'll probably watch a movie if you feel like joining me once you're finished. You know where everything is anyway. I'd say make yourself at home but you already do that, so…relax. We'll talk to your landlord tomorrow and see how extensive the damage is."

Riley nodded as he gripped her shoulder reassuringly. She set her suitcase on the bed, unzipping it and pulling out a gray tee shirt and a pair of black shorts she usually wore running, along with shampoo, conditioner, and soap before making her way through Gabriel's kitchen, grabbing another beer from the fridge on her way to the bathroom.

He chuckled a little at the humorous action, putting away dishes he hadn't gotten around to before they'd left.

"Judge away," she said, balancing her clothes and the various bottles of soaps in one arm as she drank her beer.

"Not judging, I swear. I drink in the shower all the time," he mocked gently. She threw him a playful glare, using her foot to close the bathroom door behind her.

Gabriel had a sinking suspicion Riley would be staying with him a lot longer than she was anticipating.

He was right.

XOX

"Three weeks!" Riley shrieked when the landlord told her what the repairmen relayed to him after they assessed the damage. "Are you serious?"

Her landlord shrugged helplessly, bewildered as she was. "As a heart attack. I'm sorry Ms. Neal;. the repairmen said a few pipes burst. Something about built up pressure. There was no way we could have caught it, considering the Goldman's have been out of town for a week and a half, and you were too."

Riley crossed her arms over her chest, chewing her lip in frustration. Gabriel stood behind her, surveying the heavily bowed ceiling with a grimace on his face.

"Look, Riley, why don't we pack up the rest of your clothes and whatever else you need, or can salvage, and head back to my place. There's nothing else we can do here," Gabriel said carefully, putting an arm around her shoulders.

Riley nodded numbly. "Yeah, sure. Let's go," she whispered.

Gabriel helped her fold everything into several duffle bags and an extra suitcase, taking care with the cocktail dresses as they trekked back to his apartment.

"I didn't think you even owned a dress, let alone…ones that look like this," Gabriel commented once they set everything down on the bed in the guest room. He held up a particularly short, black bandage dress she'd splurged on a few years back for some event or other. "I would love to hear the story behind this one."

She rolled her eyes, knowing he was trying to lighten the mood. "No story really. Bought it for my high school reunion. Figured it wouldn't hurt to try to look better than everybody else, you know, that whole duckling to swan thing."

Gabriel laughed, eyebrows raised in surprise. "Who could _you_ possibly need to show up from high school? You're beautiful," he said, the last bit slipping out before he could stop it.

She quirked her lip, eyes widening for a moment as she searched his face to see if he was joking. He was serious. Riley shrugged, letting the 'beautiful' comment fall by the wayside. They couldn't afford to let things get awkward if she was going to be his roommate for the foreseeable future.

"The popular girls, of course. You know, the perfect Barbie's every school has. I was definitely _not_ the prom queen, not by a long shot," she replied, moving to the spare room's closet to hang her shirts and suits. "I was more of a tomboy. Played all the sports I could to my mother's dismay, and most of my friends were guys because of it. That surprisingly did not make me popular with the girls."

Gabriel leaned against the wall, watching her flit back and forth, adopting an easy system. "Why not?"

"I think they all thought I was out to steal their boyfriends. What a joke. I would not have dated a single one of the jocks from my high school, and they certainly weren't going to date me," she said offhandedly.

"What's wrong with jocks? I was a jock in high school."

Riley grinned, the look on her face saying '_gee, no kidding_.' "Of course you were. And you were also popular weren't you?"

Gabriel moved, sitting on the guest bed. "Maybe?"

"And who did you date? The cheerleader or the tomboy," Riley shot back.

Gabriel paused, realizing she'd trapped him. "The cheerleader," he answered quietly.

"That's what I thought. We would have been friends in high school, but you never would have dated someone like me," Riley stated succinctly. "So the story behind the dress is that I wanted to prove I could be just as feminine as those girls."

Gabriel gave her a small smile. "So you weren't actually trying to prove yourself to the popular girls. You were trying to prove yourself to all the boys you were friends with," he observed.

"No…" she trailed, trying to find a way to defend her point. He had her and she knew it. "How do you figure that?"

Gabriel shrugged, holding up the dress. "You don't buy a dress this short and this tight to try to prove you're pretty to a bunch of girls. You buy a dress like this to prove you're pretty to a guy."

Riley huffed, grabbing the dress from his hands. "Okay, no more analyzing me or my wardrobe."

"Whatever you say," he said, holding his hands up in surrender. "I'll call Lillian and let her know about the situation. She should be happy, won't have to worry about anyone coming after me if you're already here."

Riley nodded as Gabriel used the chip to call their boss, stepping out into the living room. She had a feeling Lillian wouldn't be as thrilled as Gabriel assumed, but she kept that particular thought to herself. Her relationship with Gabriel was professional, and throughout the year and a half they'd been partnered together, they had become close friends. And just friends it remained, despite the late Adam Weatherly's vague accusations of something more. Mary Vaughn's presumptions didn't help matters either, but that was beside the point.

People would see what they wanted too. Riley knew that much.

She hadn't made it this far in her career without the usual perceptions and presumed affairs. Sure, Charlie Griffin may have been a misstep, but no one could accuse her of sleeping her way to the top when she'd dated him. It wasn't like he had any power to promote her. They'd been on even ground until Panama; vying for the same promotion ultimately ended their relationship.

The upside of the Cyber Command rumor mill was the safe knowledge that despite the unwarranted and false gossip that surrounded them, Riley had nothing to gain from sleeping with America's super secret weapon. She took a strange comfort from that.

"You okay?" Gabriel's voice came from somewhere behind her. She jumped, startled.

"Yes, why?" She asked briskly.

"I called your name a couple times and you didn't answer."

Riley shrugged, refolding her jeans. "What did Lillian say?"

"She's not crazy about the arrangement but she likes that our proximity allows me to be better protected. Like that was in question," he grinned.

She threw him a small smile at the compliment. "Are you sure this is okay? I don't want to…invade your space."

"We spend at least sixteen hours a day together Riley, and when we're not together we're on the phone. The only difference now is that you're a bedroom away instead of a building."

Riley wrinkled her nose. "We really don't have lives, do we?"

"Not really. Guess that's the job though," he said softly. "C'mon, why don't we go out for lunch. Put away the rest of your stuff later."

"You're bored, aren't you?"

He held his arms up in surrender. "How did you guess?"

She sighed, dropping the third pair of half folded jeans back into the suitcase. Her stomach growled low at his mentioning food. "I'm game. Where too?"

"That's the spirit," he grinned, dimples punctuating his carefree face.

She shook her head, following after her partner.

XOX

Nelson hopped excitedly from one foot to the other, looking something akin to a wired bunny rabbit when Riley and Gabriel walked into work together Monday morning.

"You okay Nelson?" Riley asked cautiously, sizing up the skittish genius as Gabriel headed for Dr. Cassidy's lab for his usual scan.

"Yeah, seriously, you didn't stack Five Hour Energy drinks again? You know what happened last time you did that," Gabriel chastised, sliding into the chair.

Nelson's grin was smug. "Heard you two are cohabitating," he said, trying and failing to be coy.

Riley shook her head, rolling her eyes. "My ceiling caved in."

"Sure it did," Nelson responded, trailing the words out slowly. "Just keep coming up with your excuses."

"Really, Nelson?" Gabriel sighed, annoyance setting in as he glared at the younger man.

"Just calling it like I see it," he added.

"Careful, unless you want everyone to know how you spend your Saturday nights," Gabriel threw back, a sly grin blooming on his face. Riley noted his distant gaze, sifting through data, she suspected.

Nelson's eyes went wide. "You wouldn't dare."

"Keep tilting at windmills and we'll find out," Gabriel deadpanned. Riley tried to stifle a barely contained laugh as Dr. Cassidy appeared.

"Ah, son, you want to help attach the electrodes?" Dr. Cassidy asked a blissfully speechless Nelson.

Nelson turned abruptly, walking towards the door. "Nope."

The Doc looked between Riley and Gabriel, perplexed. "Was it something I said?"

The pair only laughed.

XOX

The first week went by quickly, smoothly, even.

Riley transitioned into his apartment with a strange ease he didn't think the always alert secret service agent was capable of. They spent their days at work, and spent their nights catching up on movies and TV shows they'd missed out on, playing poker, and sharing beer and popcorn before they fell into their respective beds well into the small morning hours.

He'd taken it upon himself to do the cooking, refusing to let her and her lack of culinary skill anywhere near his stovetop. In return she cleaned up, even though he'd eventually take over drying the dishes as they worked in companionable silence.

By the second week, her DVD collection and her favorite books had migrated from her apartment onto the shelves in his. Her shampoo and conditioner made their home next to his own; their toothbrushes shared the same cup and the makeup she had was packed in a little cosmetic case that sat neatly on the sink by the rest of her toiletries.

Their laundry ended up stuffed together in the washing machine more often then not for the sake of convenience, causing them both to laugh as they searched through the tangled mess of clothes to find what was theirs.

Riley's penchant for being a morning person had begun to rub off on Gabriel as well, and they made time to jog through the park as often as possible. In turn, they'd spar in his expansive, open living room, throwing jabs at the punching bag.

When her landlord called to let Riley know there'd been a snag in the repairs, she'd shrugged it off, finding she felt almost…relieved. That thought froze her in place, and she was immediately glad she'd excused herself to take the call in her room.

_Except it's not _your_ room. _

She was comfortable here, and it wasn't because she could watch over her charge from a closer standpoint. She _liked_ being here. She looked forward to their movie marathons and poker games, cooking dinner and cleaning up after. She liked coming home _with_ Gabriel, not just _to_ an apartment.

Riley mentally shook herself, swallowing hard before leaving the confines of her room. _The guest room._

"What did your landlord say?" Gabriel asked, prepping dinner. She inhaled deeply. Whatever he was making smelled divine. She sighed, leaning against the sink to watch him, snagging the beer that sat next to his workstation.

Riley took a long swallow, picking at the label nervously before speaking. "They hit a snag in the repairs. Something about mold and things not being up to code. It's going to be a while longer. He wouldn't even give me a guestimate," she replied, shifting her weight. "Look, I can always get a hotel room. I don't know how long I'm going to have to stay here and I can't help feeling like your personal time could be better spent elsewhere."

Gabriel paused, setting the knife he was using to slice vegetables down, and crossing his arms and facing her with a raised eyebrow. "Elsewhere? Riley, are you trying to get _me_ to kick you out, or are _you _trying to kick _yourself _out?"

She gaped for a minute, not sure how to reply.

He placed his hands on either side of her shoulders, forcing her to look at him. "You have a place here as long as you want. Besides it's been kinda…nice, having someone to cook for and come home with," he said, stumbling through the last part as she felt her face heat slightly. "Haven't really had that since Amelia. Didn't realize I missed it this much."

She gave him a wry smile. "If you're sure. I've gotten kind of used to being here too, if we're being honest."

He nodded, turning back to what he was doing, both attempting to leave the awkwardness behind them. "It's settled then, you're staying. No more asking if it's okay, okay?"

"Okay," she answered quietly.

XOX

"Gabriel, seriously, we are going to be _so_ late!" Riley called out, frustrated as she came out of her room, pulling on a tank top, her button down spinning in the dryer. Gabriel yelled something back, but it was indistinguishable as she made her way to the bathroom where he stood, brushing his teeth. He handed Riley her own toothbrush, toothpaste already on the bristles.

She eyed him thankfully, running it quickly over her teeth. He multitasked, his toothbrush jutting out of the corner of his mouth while he shaved, watching as she swiped a few coats of mascara on and ran a brush through her hair.

Riley pushed her hair to the side, turning the faucet on and filling the little tumbler with water, rinsing the foamy toothpaste from her mouth and passing the cup to Gabriel as he did the same. He wiped off the shaving cream as the buzzer for the dryer echoed through the apartment. Riley took off, glancing at her watch as she pulled the white dress shirt out, shrugging it on quickly.

She threw Gabriel's own shirt over her shoulder, making her way back to the kitchen and searching the fridge for anything they could eat in a hurry as the coffee brewed on the counter. She felt him behind her, felt him tug the shirt from her shoulder and watched him pull it on and start buttoning.

"Where'd the travel mugs go, I thought I put them next to the coffee maker last night," she asked, straightening his creased collar out. They'd have to make do with a few wrinkles in their shirts, having no time to iron them.

"Behind you," he said, reaching for the mugs and forcing her to duck before he could clothesline her. "Sorry."

She shrugged, moving him out of her way so she could make up the coffee to go. "Can you pass me the cream and sugar?"

He procured both items, grabbing a few granola bars from the pantry. It would have to do, though it was a poor substitute for a real breakfast.

"Lillian's calling, _again_," Gabriel said, annoyance coating his voice. "Don't know what the big deal is. So we're meeting the new CIA Director. Wasn't this big a deal last time," he grumbled as she stirred.

"Apparently this guy is bigger and badder than Tetazoo, so this meeting should be great," Riley said sarcastically, not bothering to look as she handed him his coffee.

"Thanks," he said distantly, distracted as he scanned any information he could find on the illusive new director.

Riley grabbed his navy blue tie from the counter, looping it around his neck and tying it as fast as she could. Lillian had not so subtly informed them that they should look as if they were attending a business meeting and not dress like they were spending the day lounging at the park. Gabriel had been mildly affronted at the insult to his wardrobe, arguing that as America's super secret weapon, he should be able to dress as he pleased.

Suffice to say, his claims fell on deaf ears.

Gabriel blinked, finding nothing substantial on the new director, feeling Riley finish the knot and gently nudge it into place while he held their coffee mugs. The simple action, the whole crazed morning really, brought back the distant memories of his marriage. Of things Amelia did a thousand times that Riley was doing now.

The strange familiarity of it all had Gabriel leaning down, pressing a quick kiss to the corner of his partner's lips before he knew what he was doing.

Riley stiffened, taking a step back.

"Sorry, reflex," he answered, as shocked as her.

A second later, understanding flooded her green eyes as she arrived at the same conclusion he had. "It's okay, I get it," she said quietly, taking her coffee mug from his left hand. "We need to get going though. Lillian will have our heads otherwise."

The moment ended.

It didn't fade away from their minds.

XOX

The new Director of the CIA hated them.

Well, he actually hated Riley for reasons the bewildered agent couldn't comprehend, much to Gabriel's amusement. She didn't know him, didn't recognize him in the least. Of course, the new director didn't much care for Lillian either, and both quickly surmounted the director had an issue with powerful women in any capacity.

Great, a sexist CIA Director. Exactly what they needed after their last snafu. At least Tetazoo had had a modicum of respect for them, even if it was just out of professional courtesy.

"You're not used to being disliked on the spot, are you?" Gabriel inquired with the same amused look on his face. He wasn't exactly used to being liked on the spot on the contrary, rather surprised by the high praise the man had offered him in turn. Praise he knew he didn't earn on his own.

"Not everyone is going to like you, that's just a fact. What I can't handle is being disliked because of my gender and my job. I take great offense in being treated like I belong in the kitchen," she snapped as they made their way to their briefing.

"Oh, don't worry, we all know the kitchen is the _last_ place you belong," Gabriel chuckled, wincing when she punched him in the shoulder.

"Easy, don't want to break the only toy the new CIA Director likes," he joked. Riley counted down from ten in her head, restraining herself from hitting her partner a second time.

"Oh, c'mon, Teacher's Pet, we've got a job to do."

XOX

The "job" turned out to be more of an ambush than an actual mission. The CIA agent that was supposed to be their handler for the op had turned months ago, siphoning information back to the Russians for a pricey settlement and a standard protection package.

Their "handler" led them straight into a trap.

Riley took a bullet to her right side after shoving Gabriel out of harm's way. Gabriel watched her crumple like a broken doll, crawling to her while dodging bullets. The bullet missed anything vital, but she was already dipping in and out of consciousness.

With his partner bleeding in his arms Gabriel's barely contained rage came to a head and he was on his feet, putting a bullet through each of the remaining men as they continued to shoot at them. Among the casualties was the agent that had turned.

The new director was not impressed. He'd known the agent had turned, had hoped Riley and Gabriel would be able to gather intel on the agent's agenda if they didn't appear to be a threat.

That misinformation had nearly cost Riley her life.

Lillian was stunned into silence as he explained the situation like he was explaining how to turn a computer on. She knew Tetazoo had been good at burying the lede, often times not knowing the whole story himself.

But this was a whole new ballgame.

She barely had the good sense to stop Gabriel from reacting as he clenched his fists, moving to throw a punch at the director. Luckily Jameson stepped in, gripping his shoulders firmly, his eyes saying _think of Riley_.

He wanted to say he _was_ thinking of Riley.

Thinking of what she'd do if she was in his position.

Gabriel stormed out of the office, the director demanding his return behind him.

Gabriel kept walking.

XOX

"You have better things to do than baby me, Gabriel. I live here, remember, I know where everything is," Riley said from her place on the couch, increasingly agitated by all the smothering. It was cute the first day he brought her home, not letting her get up for anything, bringing breakfast, lunch, and dinner to her in bed. "Go out with the boys already."

Now it was just ridiculous.

"I would like to take a shower at some point, and you being here is not going to help that along, at all," she intoned.

"That means we have to cover the wound," Gabriel informed her. "Think you can do that yourself? Or hey, let's see if you can pull your shirt over your head. Bet you can't," he mocked.

She shot him a dark look, knowing he was right. "Fine," she mumbled. Her desire to shower outweighed her potential embarrassment. Not that she had anything to be embarrassed about. If she was being honest, she was nervous. Charlie was the last guy to see her topless, and the lengthy explanation that followed was part of the reason she kept dating to a minimum.

"C'mon, partner. Jameson will be here to pick me up in an hour," he said, putting his arm around her waist to help ease her up. She flinched, the wound still throbbing. "You know, you really have to stop taking bullets for me."

"It's my job," she ground out, leaning against the bathroom counter. He rolled his eyes. "Arms up, at least, as far as they can go."

Gabriel grasped the hem of the black shirt he'd given her in the hospital. It was his; the doctor had recommended loose fitting clothing, and at the time it had been the only thing he had to offer. He pulled her left arm out first, pulling the shirt over her head, and then her right arm, leaving her in a modest black bra. It took him a moment to realize she wasn't trying to cover her chest, as he suspected she would.

No matter the situation, no matter his feelings for the woman in front of him, he could focus on the task at hand and be a gentleman, especially when it came to her. Trust was a vital part of their relationship.

He realized his no nonsense, bullet taking, partner was covering up as much of her stomach as she could.

"I kind of need to check the bandage, Riley," he said, giving her a small smile. She sighed, hesitating before moving her arms away. Now he understood.

The majority of her torso was covered in jagged, pinched scar tissue. He counted three bullet wounds aside from the most recent one, and recalling Lillian's story about her being stabbed several times defending the president's daughters, he now got the full count: eight. There were other scrapes, cuts, and lacerations inching their way around her back and below the waistline of her sweatpants.

Now he knew why she always wore tank tops over sports bras when she jogged and worked out. She didn't want the lingering stares. Or the pity.

"And this is why I didn't want your help," she muttered, resisting reaching for the shirt.

"It's not like I haven't seen scars before, Riley. I have a few of my own if you don't recall."

She gave him a withering look. "The difference is yours will always be seen as heroic battle scars, and mine will be what keeps me from ever wearing a bikini," she threw at him sourly. "They're not exactly something people want to see."

"You mean men," he inferred, taping plastic over the bandaged wound.

She looked away, not wanting to go _there_ with him.

He sighed, gently tilting her chin back to face him. "They tell a story, you know. They prove you're a survivor, that you're alive. That makes them beautiful. Makes you beautiful."

Riley swallowed thickly. They were silent for a long moment, his thumb brushing across her jaw. She cleared her throat, breaking their gaze. "I should…shower," she whispered.

Gabriel nodded. "Yeah, Jameson and Nelson will be here soon. Did you need help with anything else, before I go?"

Riley shook her head. "I'm okay."

"Seeya later. And none of this hero stuff while I'm out, if you need me, call me," he said firmly, turning to leave the bathroom.

"Hey, Gabriel," she called out quietly. He faced her, hand on the doorknob. "Thanks, for what you said."

He nodded, closing the door behind him.

Gabriel leaned against the frame for a moment, his breathing irregular. Their relationship was changing, he could feel it shifting. Hell, it changed the minute she stole a car, broke him out of Cyber Command, and went on the run with him, ditching a promising career because she believed he was innocent.

Who did that?

The water turned on beyond the door as his cell rang. He chipped the call, Nelson coming across the line.

"Ready to go man? We're downstairs," the young scientist said excitedly.

Gabriel grinned. "Yeah, I'll be down in a minute."

XOX

"It's finished? That's…great," Riley responded, forcing a smile her landlord couldn't even see. She ended the call, tossing the phone on her bed. After six weeks, she'd given up considering the room anything other than hers.

She checked her watch again, itching to call Gabriel, even though she didn't have a reason to. When Gabriel told her about the guy's night he'd planned with Jameson and Nelson, she'd shaken her head affectionately at the thought of the three awkwardly paired men. The jock, the genius, and the goody two shoes. It was like the beginning of a bad 80s movie, and she'd told him as much.

Riley allowed it, considering her presence in his apartment had probably cramped his style at least a little bit throughout the past month and a half, and Jameson would be accompanying him as friend and acting protector.

After her shower, she'd gone into his room and stolen one of his white button down shirts. Her dress shirts were too fitted and she couldn't pull a tee over her head. She slipped into a pair of gray shorts and settled onto the couch with a bowl of popcorn and painkillers.

Then her landlord had called with the news her apartment was finished. She could return at her earliest convenience.

She shut the television off after that, enjoying the silence and the darkness and the still peace it brought. She moved into the kitchen to fill up her water glass.

Riley set the empty bowl down and leaned against his sink. An idea struck her and she smiled, easing up onto the counter despite her injured side. She'd wondered what the appeal was, why he always sat on the counter by his sink during their nightly check ins. She leaned back and crossed her legs like a pretzel, gazing up at her empty apartment.

She didn't want to go back.

How could she tell him that?

Better yet, how could she ask that of him?

When Riley looked around the spacious apartment, she saw how very ingrained she'd let herself become here. From her books on the shelves to their mashed up DVD collection, she wasn't sure exactly how she'd extricate herself from him.

How she'd go back to a lonely apartment that no longer felt like home.

So caught up in her own thoughts, she didn't hear the door click shut until the man in question was standing in front of her.

Riley quirked a half smile. "I see why you sit here. It's actually pretty comfortable. And the view into my apartment doesn't hurt either," she teased gently.

Gabriel chuckled, nodding. "Definitely not a bad view."

He wasn't talking about the view of her apartment, she knew that much by the way his voice pitched low and rough.

"You're back early, or earlier than I thought you'd be, I suppose. Everything okay?" She asked carefully, a little confused. It was barely eleven.

He nodded. "Yeah, everything's okay. I just…missed you," he answered her, as if he was questioning his own statement.

Riley grinned, head tilting to the side. "You missed me? We live together, Gabriel. We see each other all day…and all night. I think the only time we aren't physically in the same room is when we're sleeping. So, how could you possibly miss me?"

He looked away, hesitating. "This girl and I started talking at the bar earlier, nothing special, just a normal conversation. I bought her a drink, we played a round of pool, and we talked for a little while longer. She was nice, pretty," he said quietly, still not meeting her interested gaze. "She asked me if I wanted to go out sometime."

Riley felt her heart sink a little at his story, but she listened raptly, practically holding her breath.

"And I turned her down. She asked me why, and I didn't have a good reason for her until I found myself in a cab on my way back here."

"What was your reason?" Riley questioned, voice no louder than a whisper in the darkened kitchen.

"I already had the woman I wanted waiting for me at home."

The breath she'd been holding caught in her throat, her slumped posture straightening at the statement. "Gabriel..."

"I know, it's…unprofessional, and a million other things but…you've become home for me," he whispered back. "I get it, if you don't—"

Riley looked up, cutting him off mid sentence. "I don't want to go back."

Gabriel knit his forehead in confusion, moving to stand in front of her. "Go back where?"

She met his blue gaze. "My landlord called. Apartment's ready." Riley lifted her shoulder in a half shrug, wincing at the motion. "And I don't want to go back."

She shifted, scooting to the edge of the counter and letting her long legs dangle freely. "I've liked having someone to go home with, to come home to. I like talking about our day over dinner and washing the dishes together and fighting over what movie to watch at night."

He took a few steps closer to her. "We never fight over what movie to watch," he said cheekily before his tone became serious. "Stay, Riley."

Her laugh was humorless. "I can't, Gabriel, you know that. We can't keep this up, whatever this is. I can't stay here, I can't stay in your guest room forever," she replied unconvincingly.

"I didn't say anything about the guest room, Riley. Stay, with _me_."

The finality in his tone made her heart skip a few beats. From her seat on the counter, she was level with him, and he was already invading her space, hands braced on either side of the ledge, effectively trapping her. Riley knew he wouldn't make a move without her confirmation, no matter what he felt for her.

"Okay," she answered softly.

The word was barely out of her mouth before he was kissing her, as if she was the last good thing in his world. Her arms circled around his neck, pulling him closer, while he tangled his in her hair, running them down her back and under the shirt she wore.

"Nice shirt," he said roughly, pulling back to kiss down her neck. She shivered a little when he pulled the collar to the side, biting down on the dip between her neck and shoulder.

"Thought that would get your attention," she answered him smugly, a seductive cheekiness coating her words. "All I could put on by myself."

"I told you to call me if you needed help," he chastised her playfully.

"I don't want your help, Gabriel," Riley said seriously, locking her darkened eyes with his pitch black ones. "I want you."

Gabriel felt the shift in their relationship fix itself into place. For good.

He kissed her deeply, hands grabbing her hips as she linked her legs easily around his waist, walking them to his bedroom. He laid her down gently, unbuttoning the shirt of his she wore while her hands tugged at the tee he had on. Gabriel stopped suddenly when he pushed the shirt aside, having forgotten about her wound.

"Trust me," she said, bringing his attention back to her. "I don't feel it."

"I don't want to hurt you, Riley," he said, the familiar concern returning.

She smiled, rolling her eyes. "You couldn't possibly hurt me, Gabriel. I know you, remember?"

He kissed her forehead, using his elbows to brace himself above her. "I know you, too."

They both laughed lightly at the odd double meaning.

She sighed. "Just kiss me, Gabriel."

He would have done anything she wanted after that.

XOX

Gabriel lazily ran his index finger over one of the knife wound scars on her stomach, watching her twitch in her sleep as he did.

She refused to regret their actions, even though the painkillers had started to wear off and she was beginning to feel everything they'd done. Gabriel could tell by the way she slept that she was hurting.

"You're in pain Riley," he stated.

She shook her head, opening her eyes. "Don't ruin the moment Gabriel."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "I don't think anything could ruin the moment we had," he smirked tenderly.

Riley entwined her fingers with his. "Are you sure about this? About me staying?"

Gabriel grinned, kissing her soundly. "I haven't been this sure of anything in a long time Riley."

"Okay," Riley nodded, satisfied with his response. "But you get to tell Lillian that we're living together, permanently."

"What? Why me?" Gabriel demanded, a pout forming on his face.

"Because you did such a good job explaining the situation last time," she laughed, poking his chest.

"Yes, and you could have stepped up and helped explain why you were here to begin with," he threw back. "Left it all on me."

"Oh please, Lillian likes you better," Riley said, pulling him down for a kiss.

"Yeah, right," his voice grew distant as he trailed off, sinking into the kiss. He would never get enough of her, and he would never let her go. That was a decision he made watching her sleep. "This how you're going to get me to do things from now on?"

Riley smiled, silently thanking the pipes that burst in the apartment above hers, thanking lazy repairmen and building code violations for the first time in her life, and thanking the water that forced her out and into his home. Their home.

"You bet."

XOX

_I'll look after you_

_And I'll look after you…_


End file.
